[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 38 (Wednesday, March 21, 2001)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D245-D247]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
FEDERAL FARM COMMODITY PROGRAMS
Committee on Agriculture: Continued hearings on Federal Farm Commodity 
Programs, with the rice industry. Testimony was heard from Nolen Canon, 
Jr., Chairman, U.S. Rice Producers Association.
  Hearings continue tomorrow.
AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FDA, AND RELATED AGENCIES 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural 
Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies held a 
hearing on Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the Commodity Futures Trading 
Commission: James E. Newsome, Acting Chairman; and Emory Bevill, Acting 
Director, Office of Financial Management.
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, STATE AND JUDICIARY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State 
and Judiciary held a hearing on

[[Page D246]]

Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, and Judicial Offices. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Judicial 
Conference: Judge John G. Heyburn, II, U.S. District Court, Western 
District of Kentucky, Chairman, and Judge Lawrence L. Piersol, U.S. 
District Court, District of South Dakota, member, both with the 
Committee on the Budget; and Leonidas Ralph Mecham, Director, 
Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, member, Executive Committee; 
and Judge Fern M. Smith, U.S. District Court, Northern District of 
California, Director, Federal Judicial Center.
DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense met in executive 
session to hold a hearing on Military Readiness. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the Department of Defense: Gen. John 
Keane, USA. Vice Chief of Staff; Adm. William Fallon, USN, Vice Chief, 
Naval Operations; Gen. Mike Williams, USMC, Assistant Commandant; and 
Gen. John Handy, USAF, Vice Chief of Staff.
FOREIGN OPERATIONS APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: The Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, 
Export Financing and Related Programs held a hearing on implementation 
of the Hurricane Mitch Supplemental. Testimony was heard from Jess T. 
Ford, Director, International Affairs and Trade, GAO; and Everett L. 
Mosley, Inspector General, AID, Department of State.
INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior held a hearing on 
Special Trustee (Trust Reform). Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of the Interior, Thomas Slonaker, Special 
Trustee for American Indians; and M. Sharon Blackwell, Deputy 
Commissioner, Bureau of Indian Affairs.
LABOR, HHS, EDUCATION AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services and Education continued appropriation hearings. Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.
  Hearings continue tomorrow.
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Military Construction held 
a hearing on Family Housing Privatization. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of Defense: Randall A. Yim, 
Deputy Secretary, Installations; Paul W. Johnson, Deputy Assistant 
Secretary of the Army, Installations and Housing; Duncan Holaday, 
Acting Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Installations and Facilities; 
and Jimmy G. Dishner, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, 
Installations.
TRANSPORTATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation held a 
hearing on AMTRAK. Testimony was heard from Kenneth M. Mead, Inspector 
General, Department of Transportation, Phyllis F. Scheinberg, Director, 
Physical Infrastructure Issues, GAO; and George D. Warrington, 
President and CEO, National Railroad Passenger Corporation (AMTRAK).
  The Subcommittee continued appropriation hearings. Testimony was 
heard from Members of Congress.
TREASURY, POSTAL SERVICE, AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Treasury, Postal Service, 
and General Government held a hearing on Inspector General, and 
Inspector General for Tax Administration. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of the Treasury: Jeffrey Rush, 
Inspector General; and David Williams, Inspector General, Tax 
Administration.
VA, HUD, AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on VA, HUD, and Independent 
Agencies began appropriation hearings. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY
Committee on Armed Services: Held a hearing on U.S. National Security 
Strategy. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the U.S. 
Commission on National Security/21st Century: Gary Hart, Co-Chairman; 
and Newt Gingrich, member; and public witnesses.
CONCURRENT BUDGET RESOLUTION
Committee on the Budget: Ordered reported the Concurrent Resolution on 
the Budget for Fiscal Year 2002.
OVERSIGHT PLAN; COMMITTEE BUSINESS
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Approved Committee Oversight 
Plan for the 107th Congress.
  The Committee also approved other pending business.
AIRLINE MERGERS--CONSUMER EFFECT
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and 
Consumer Protection held a

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hearing on Airline Mergers and Their Effect on American Consumers. 
Testimony was heard from Representatives Myrick, Clyburn, Slaughter and 
DeFazio; and public witnesses.
UNSOLICITED COMMERCIAL ELECTRONIC MAIL ACT
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Telecommunications 
and the Internet approved for full Committee action, as amended, H.R. 
718, Unsolicited Commercial Electronic Mail Act of 2001.
CAPITAL MARKETS FEE RELIEF ACT
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Capital Markets, 
Insurance, and Government Sponsored Enterprises approved for full 
Committee action, as amended, H.R. 1088, Investor and Capital Markets 
Fee Relief Act.
SMALL BUSINESS INTEREST CHECKING ACT; BUSINESS CHECKING FREEDOM ACT
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Financial Institutions 
and Consumer Credit approved for full Committee action the following 
bills: H.R. 974, Small Business Interest Checking Act of 2001; and H.R. 
1009, Business Checking Freedom Act of 2001.
PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE'S FUTURE
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on the District of 
Columbia held a hearing on America's Main Street: The Future of 
Pennsylvania Avenue. Testimony was heard from the following officials 
of the District of Columbia: Anthony Williams, Mayor; and Linda W. 
Cropp, Chair, Council; John Parsons, Associate Regional Director, Lands 
Resources and Planning, National Capital Region, National Park Service, 
Department of the Interior; from the following officials of the 
Department of the Treasury: Brian Stafford, U.S. Secret Service; and 
James Sloan, Acting Under Secretary, Enforcement; Emily Malino, member, 
Commission of Fine Arts; Richard L. Friedman, Chairman, National 
Capital Planning Commission; Robert J. Dole, President, Federal City 
Council; and public witnesses.
DRAFT REPORT
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Government Efficiency, 
Financial Management, and Intergovernmental Relations approved for full 
Committee action a draft report entitled: ``A Citizens Guide on Using 
the Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act of 1974 to Request 
Government Records.''
UNBORN VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on the Constitution approved 
for full Committee action H.R 503, Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 
2001.
CONSEQUENCES FOR JUVENILE OFFENDERS ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Crime approved for full 
Committee action, as amended, H.R. 863, Consequences for Juvenile 
Offenders Act of 2001.
REDUCE EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Research held a hearing on Life 
in the Subduction Zone: The Recent Nisqually Quake and the Federal 
Efforts to Reduce Earthquake Hazards. Testimony was heard from John 
Filson, Coordinator, Earthquake Programs, U.S. Geological Survey, 
Department of the Interior; Priscilla Nelson, Director, Division of 
Civil and Mechanical Systems, NSF; and public witnesses.
NATION'S HIGHWAY AND TRANSIT SYSTEMS; COMMITTEE ORGANIZATION
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on 
Highways and Transit held a hearing on the Outlook for the Nation's 
Highway and Transit Systems. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
  Prior to the hearing, the Subcommittee met for organizational 
purposes.
VETERANS' LEGISLATION
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Ordered reported, as amended, the 
following bills: H.R. 801, Veterans' Opportunities Act of 2001; and 
H.R. 811, Veterans' Hospital Emergency Repair Act.
ADMINISTRATION'S TAX RELIEF PROPOSALS
Committee on Ways and Means: Continued hearings on the Administration's 
proposed tax relief proposals. Testimony was heard from Senator 
Hutchison; Representatives Weller and Barcia; and public witnesses.
WORLDWIDE TERRORIST THREAT
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Terrorism Working Group met 
in executive session to receive a briefing on Worldwide Terrorist 
Threat Posed by the Usama Bin Laden (UBL) Organization and U.S. 
Countermeasures. The Group was briefed by departmental witnesses.